Harry Potter and the Veil of No Return
by Camille3
Summary: HarryPotter is tormented by the death of his godfather Sirius in his 6th year at Hogwarts. But with the help of his friends, and a little fact-finding, he may soon see his godfather again and learn of the power that will lead him to vanquish the Dark Lord
1. The Beginning

The blinding light of the sun broke across Ron Weasley's face on a quiet (which is a rarity with Fred and George around) Monday morning at the Burrow. He sat up slowly, and turned to his best friend Harry Potter who was sleeping quietly in the bed next to him, his glasses fogging with each breath he took. "I guess I shouldn't wake him up", Ron said quietly as he climbed out of bed and placed his extremely long feet on the ground. His arms were still scarred from the memories given to him by several lose brains he encountered at the Department of Mysteries. He glanced with disgust at his too-short pajamas, frayed at the end and singed from Ron's various attempts to mend them with his wand. He looked jealously at Harry. He loved him like a brother, but still, he couldn't help grimacing at his perfect-sized pajamas and his spotless robes that he had just bought before at a trip to Diagon Alley. In a few hours time Harry, Ron, and Ginny would be boarding the Hogwarts Express. He was happy, but still saddened by this fact. With Fred and George at the joke shop for most of the summer and Percy (who finally apologized for his stupidity) at work, he had a splendid time with his little sister and Harry, free from the twins' insults, or Percy's disapproving looks. They took turns riding Harry's firebolt, and de-gnoming the garden. Not to mention the delicious meals his mother cooked nightly. But there was something Ron was looking forward to after a carefree summer. He smiled at the thought of Hermione Granger's face. Although they often bickered, and could be caught teasing each other he still missed her. He decided he would tell her. Finally express his feelings that he had held inside so long. He only wished she would feel the same way too... "I didn't even take my glasses off! Hey mate, can't believe you're up earlier than me," Harry said while wiping his glasses. "What-. Oh, hey Harry. I've been thinking." "About what?", said Harry while getting out of bed and dressing.  
  
Ron didn't know what to say. Harry was his best friend after all, but he hadn't told anyone about his feelings for Hermione. He could imagine Harry bursting into laughter if he told him so he answered: "Oh about Quidditch tryouts. You'll be captain I suspect?"  
  
"I suspect you're right. McGonagall sent this with my Hogwarts letter, I didn't tell you..." Harry held up a bright gleaming red badge in the shape of a shield that read "Quidditch Captain".  
  
"Boys, get dressed and down here. We're running late!" Mrs. Weasley screamed from downstairs. Harry and Ron scrambled to get ready because seeing Mrs. Weasley angry was not a pretty sight. After a quick bit of breakfast, the Weasley's and Harry took a ministry car down to Kings Cross station. They said their goodbyes quickly, and before they all knew it, the children were seated next to each other on the train.  
  
"Have you seen Hermione?", Ron asked Luna Lovegood who had just wandered dreamily into their compartment. She looked around as if she were surveying some rather entertaining animals in a zoo cage before she replied with an airy "No." Ron was starting to get anxious. He hadn't seen Hermione for 2 months and he was keen to let his secret free and get an answer, when she finally burst through the doors.  
  
"Where have you been Ron? Prefects were supposed to be at the head of the train!" "Oh yes, I forgot..." Ron said as his face was nearing the color of his ginger hair. But before he could make an excuse he was distracted by something outside the window. A girl had walked by with sweeping, wavy black hair and intense hazel eyes. His nose was pressed against the glass, before he noticed that the girl had entered the compartment and was now surveying him with curiosity. "Who are you?" Ron said rather bluntly which caused the girl to frown slightly before she replied.  
  
"I'm Celestia Harth. I've seen you around school before...I'm in Ravenclaw". Luna gave a cheer and shouted rather enthusiastically for her standards. "And you must be the Famous Harry Potter and his faithful mate Ron Weasley", Celestia said with a hint of sarcasm that made Ron become even more interested in her. Ron couldn't stop staring at Celestia. She was so beautiful. The two of them joked the entire ride to Hogwarts while Luna chimed in periodically with random comments like "My father told me that Fudge hides Gangrene Windsock behind that locked Ministry door", before drifting off into a dreamy silence once more. Ginny and Hermione were talking avidly in the corner, and Harry couldn't help but notice that they kept shooting suspicious looks at him before bursting into giggling fits. When the train arrived at Hogwarts and the group (which was now accompanied by Neville and Trevor the toad) finally climbed inside the carriages, Harry could feel his happiness boiling inside him. After his godfather's death, he couldn't help but feel miserable. The past few weeks were great, but even Ron couldn't fill the empty void inside of him. Harry patted his pocket automatically, which contained the broken mirror Sirius had given him before he died. He had carried the mirror around since that day, it made him feel like Sirius was still with him. He couldn't help but think it was his fault. If had just used the mirror, things could be different...he could still have a godfather. Harry felt that Hogwarts and its many exciting adventures would at least take his mind off Sirius. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville took their places at the Gryffindor table while Celestia and Luna drifted towards the Ravenclaw table across the room. Harry couldn't help but notice that Cho gave him a cold look before she turned away in disgust. But he didn't mind in the slightest bit. He had more important troubles that crying girls, for now he knew what his destiny was. He still hadn't told his friends but he had pondered the prophecy every night at the Burrow. He looked towards Neville as Trevor sprang out of his hands once more and found it extremely difficult to believe that he could be the one. He could be the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord. If Voldemort had chosen him, Harry would still have parents, he would still have Sirius. Harry quickly pushed the thought out of his mind and turned with interest to his delicious dinner. Ron stared at Hermione trying to say how he really felt about her, but he couldn't help but glancing over his shoulder at Celestia. "Maybe I'll wait a couple of days...that's it. There's no rush, I have all year", he muttered to himself.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Ginny said.  
  
"Err...I said could you pass the peas." Ginny frowned before handing over the bowl because she knew, just as well as everyone else did, that Ron hadn't ate one single pea in his entire life. "Is there something wrong Ron?", Hermione said with interest. "No, umm...Why don't we head up to the common room" "No the Sorting's just about to start!" Neville said. One by one, timid looking first years made their way up to the tattered hat and sighed with relief as they took their place afterwards at the house tables. Mark Evans, who became the first new Gryffindor had the same vivid green eyes as Harry, though he had brown hair, and Harry couldn't help thinking that he had seen Mark before. "That kid! I know him...he lives on privet Drive. Dudley and his gang gave him a pounding last summer!", Harry said.  
  
"Oh, the poor boy. He looks rather frightened, maybe you should talk to him?", Ginny said while looking at Mark who was glancing around nervously at the end of the table. Harry agreed and made his way slowly to Mark, as Celestia was walking towards Ron from the Ravenclaw end. Mark looked rather scared as Harry approached him, and with good reason. His parents had probably told him all his life that Harry was a juvenile delinquent and not to be trusted. But to Harry's surprise, he replied: "Hiya Harry! I was really hoping I'd meet you", he said while shifting so Harry could sit next to him. "You live on Privet drive right?" "Yes. I was really glad to get away from your cousin though...I mean, no offense to you or anything." "Believe me Mark, no one is happier than I am to escape the Dursley's. It must have been a shock for your family though?". "Not really. I mean...well my dad's cousin was a witch. He told them all about her before he...", Mark moved nervously in his seat before continuing. "...Died. You see my mum died when I was born, and my father died shortly after that. But a real nice family adopted me.", mark said sadly.  
  
Harry knew exactly how Mark felt. He had no parents after all and quickly tried to change the subject as he could sense Mark's uncomfortable behavior.  
  
"Her name was Lily I think. She was a thumping good witch they said." Lily, Harry thought. He stared at marks green eyes, almost identical to his and remembered the memory he witnessed in Snape's Pensieve last year...His dad called her Evans, He was scribbling L.E. on a paper. It was all making sense now.  
  
"Lily Evans. That's my mum!" Harry stared in awe at little Mark Evans who didn't look nearly as perplexed as he was. Mark said that his grandfather (who was Harry's grandfather's brother) had one son named Scott, who had a cousin named lily. Scott had no magical powers either, married a Muggle who was Mark's mother. Harry contemplated the thought over and over in his head. He had finally found a relative that didn't cringe at the sight at him or look at him with extreme dislike. He finally found someone that could understand his pain in being orphaned. Harry sprinted back to the other end of the table with Mark to relay this information but he could see that Ron and Celestia were too busy laughing to care and that Hermione was, for some reason, eyeing them both with anger. As the Gryffindors made their way up to the common room, and Ron hastily said goodbye to Celestia, Harry told them his new revelation while Mark beamed at his side. "That's wonderful Harry." Ginny said with a smile "Maybe Ron could be mysteriously related to Celestia, then they could have an even greater time together." Hermione said angrily while storming off while Ron who had just shouted loudly at her followed. "What was that all about?" Mark said, who wasn't used to the constant arguing between them. "Oh that's just them", Harry said laughing. His heart seemed lighter after he met Mark and he had a feeling that his life would be improving at Hogwarts.  
  
The next day, Professor McGonagall distributed the Gryffindor schedules and Ron jumped up in excitement. Harry could see why; for the first time they had double Defense Against The Dark Arts with Ravenclaw.  
  
"And what are you so happy about then?" Hermione said, while snatching Ron's schedule out of his hand. She looked down at the parchment in amazement and hurriedly ran back up to her dormitory. "D'you reckon we should wait for her", Neville said. "No way. I'm starving, she can eat breakfast later." Ron said with a complacent grin on his face. But Hermione didn't show up in the great hall all morning. Harry Ron and Neville ran into her on the way to class. She emerged from behind a corner looking stunningly pretty with her hair beautifully straightened and hanging by her side. She smiled at the look of awe on Ron's face. Harry could detect a hint of makeup on her eyes. "Hermione, I hate to break it to you, but the Yule Ball was two years ago." Ron said, though he did have a look of interest on his face. Hermione looked furious but she swallowed her anger with a dazzling smile and led the way to class. The four Gryffindors clambered into the classroom when Harry shouted with a look that was both ecstatic and shocked "Professor Lupin?"  
  
"Hello Harry, Neville, Hermione, Ron. Please sit down, the bell will ring shortly" Lupin said happily. His robes looked shabby as ever, and Harry could definitely detect quite a few more lines on his smiling face. Perhaps he was just as saddened by Sirius's death.  
  
"Wow Professor. I'm glad you're back. We had this horrible Umbridge troll last year..." Began Dean Thomas and his sandy-haired friend Seamus. The other Gryffindors and Ravenclaws filed in the classroom, each with extreme excitement as they gazed at Lupin. Parvati and Lavender actually squealed with delight and Celestia did a funny jig to celebrate his return. "Now don't be too happy kids. I'm only staying here until Dumbledore can find a permanent teacher." "Hope that day never comes" Hermione said to Ron, but he was too busy staring at Celestia to take in a word she was saying. "The way you goggle at her, you'd think you'd never seen a girl before!" "And since when do you care Hermione, I'm sure Vicky has kept you quite busy over the summer." Hermione tutted and slid her chair a couple of inches away from Ron, but still looked hopefully at him over his shoulder. The class split into pairs to practice the Pepper Shock curse, which temporarily blinds an opponent. Ron started to head towards Celestia but Hermione clamped on to his arm and pulled him back to a table where Neville and Harry where partnered. "What'd you do that for?" Ron said angrily while practicing the curse Peppmentia under his breath. Hermione didn't answer but proceeded to hex Ron who tripped over his gangling feet and groped around for his wand. "Excellent Hermione, 10 points to Gryffindor." The class left the room, still jubilant about Lupin's return while Ron and Hermione argued. "What did you have to do that for?" "I was just doing the assignment!" "You didn't' have to curse me then. I wasn't even ready!" said Ron. "Well I doubt in a duel your opponent is going to ask 'Are you ready or should I wait a moment?'" Harry was too happy to be annoyed with them. He had just found Mark, had his favorite teacher back again, and as he passed the House board in the Common room, he saw that there was a Hogsmeade trip planned in a couple weeks. Plus Dumbledore had personally removed the lifelong Quidditch ban sentenced to him by Umbridge. As he looked at his firebolt and thought about his first days at Hogwarts, he was filled with glee. And this time, he remembered to take his glasses off before falling into a dreamless slumber.  
  
The next few weeks sailed by in such a blur of gladness, Harry could hardly believe it. Snape was still as brutal as ever, but his constant torments didn't seem to bother Harry as much anymore and he even got an A on a draft of Forgetfulness Potion. Mark had so much to tell Harry about his past. He told Harry exciting stories about his mother in her youth. How she had once ridden a carousel with Mark's father and her had horse bounced, of track riding merrily across the fairgrounds on it's own. Ron and Hermione, however, seemed to have rising tensions. If possible, their arguments had increased in number and they were often too angry to speak to each other. On a Friday afternoon, Ron, Hermione and Harry were sitting at the edge of the lake, watching the giant squid swim playfully when Celestia walked out of the castle and strode towards them. Ron got up quickly to meet her and they went off talking loudly together. "Gosh, what does he see in her? I mean sure she is rather pretty and kind, and she is always good for a laugh but other than that." Hermione trailed off and said that she had to go to the library looking rather flustered. Ginny walked over with Luna and sat right next to Harry. "Hello Harry. You look rather happy?" Luna said, as if it was a crime to have any emotion at all. "Yes I am Luna. So what's with you and Dean Ginny?" said Harry. "Oh that only lasted a week. It wouldn't work out anyway, we had different Quidditch teams." She said while Harry looked astounded that two people would break up over a difference like that. But when she gave a furtive glance towards Luna and her eyes flickered back to Harry, he thought that she was not being completely honest about her reason. Ron came running back as Luna and Ginny headed towards the castle with great news.  
  
"I've just asked Celestia if she wanted to come to Hogsmeade with us tomorrow and she agreed!" Harry smiled but couldn't help but feeling that this was not good news. Hermione seemed to have been on edge lately, and Harry thought it had something to do with Celestia. Whenever her name was mentioned in conversation she looked rather annoyed, and she would always roll her eyes whenever she saw Ron and Celestia engaging in conversation. Harry, who was looking forward to a nice visit tomorrow suggested politely: "Why don't you two go by yourselves.I mean to say, you don't want me an Hermione there on your first date?" "I suppose you're right."  
  
On the next day, Harry and Hermione lined up behind Ron and Celestia as Filch was examining the list of Hogsmeade visitors. "And you best not be bringing any of those Dungbombs back!" he shouted at a couple of third year girls. Once they reached Hogsmeade, Ron and Celestia headed for the 3 broomsticks to his disappointment because he looking forward to a nice warm butterbeer in this cold November weather, but also wanted to avoid any fighting between his two best friends. So Hermione and Harry walked happily to Honeydukes, and filled their pockets with lovely sweets before heading to the 3 broomsticks. As they were walking in, Harry could see Ron and Celestia leaving and Hermione scowling at the back of Celestia's head. The entire trip, Hermione was complaining loudly to anyone who'd listen about Celestia, with the occasional insult aimed at Ron, and Harry was glad when they finally reached the castle and he returned to his dormitory where he could get away from Hermione's constant nagging.  
  
Ron said goodbye to Celestia and made his way back to the common room. He had a great time with her, but still, he could not help but to imagine Hermione on his arm instead of her. After all, this year he had resolved to finally tell her, but he didn't know that he would meet a girl as wonderful as Celestia...but was she so wonderful? She was a great friend, but he didn't feel that connection he felt with Hermione. He made up his mind. He would tell her tonight. "Hermione, can a talk to you for a bit?" he said quietly. She was sitting alone in the common room while Crookshanks was strutting around the room. "Come to tell me about your fabulous time with Celestia, I suppose?" she said coldly. "No, no...I had something else to say. Well I know we've been friends for a long time, but-" Just then Seamus and Dean (who had seemed to be following in Fred and Georges path) burst into the common room lighting Filibusters fireworks, their arms overloaded with sweets. The whole of the Gryffindor house seemed to follow in after them and Ron knew that he couldn't possibly say anything with the loud racket. "What were you saying, Ron?" "Oh nothing...just that you have a bit of chocolate on your lip. G'night!" Ron sank into his bed and thought of the second time he had avoided telling Hermione his feelings. He couldn't lead Celestia on like this, he'd have to tell her tomorrow as well. And with a heavy sigh, Ron turned over and finally went to sleep.  
  
The weeks went by, and soon Harry was surrounded with Christmas cheer. Professor Flitwick's famous Christmas decorations were seen everywhere in the castle. Harry and Ron were humming a Christmas carol when he ran into Malfoy in the corridor. "What are you so merry about Potter? You haven't even got any family to see." "That's still better than your dad. I saw him today...I think he stole his pretty hair ribbon from my sister", Ron said angrily. "Weasley, I doubt your family could even afford a piece of a cloth." Malfoy was partly right. Ever since the twins had opened the joke shop, the Weasley's were considerably more comfortable. Ron's pajamas were still two inches too short, but he had gotten new robes, as well as Ginny. Fred and George had been giving them a decent percent of their earnings. "Maybe your dear mudblood friend could lend you some galleons!", he said to Ron. Ron lunged towards Malfoy, but Professor Snape came gliding down the hall, and luckily he didn't spot his fresh attempt to strangle Malfoy. Ron saw Celestia and instead of turning away he smiled at her. Try as he might, he couldn't truly deny that he had any feelings for her. But he also kept having those dreams about Hermione... The next day was a nightmare. Harry, the new Quidditch captain, had the responsibility of coaching the new team. And although he was a great Quidditch player, his speeches couldn't compare to Oliver Wood's. Harry glanced at the team. Ron renewed his old post as keeper, while Ginny, Seamus, and his new friend Mark Evans were chasers. The friendly, but over enthusiastic Creevey brothers replaced the Weasley twins as beaters. Harry couldn't help but notice that his team would look like a joke compared to the Slytherins, who seemed to be thinking along the same lines as he was because he could hear Malfoy's taunts about his abysmal team in Potions. But Harry was the real heart of the team, he just had to catch the snitch early, and it would all be over. Don't give them a chance to mess up, he thought to himself before the team headed to the pitch for practice. Colin Creevey seemed to get hit more times by the blunder than he hit it, and although Ron had improved greatly, the chasers skills would surely lead them to failure. Harry walked back to the Common room with the rest of the team looking slightly downtrodden. Harry climbed sleepily into his bed and tried to block the thought of him losing to Malfoy for the first time out of his mind.  
  
Harry and the team went to the pitch for a bit of extra practice next morning, but saw Malfoy and his with a gleaming "Quidditch Captain" badge coaching his team from the sidelines "What do you think you're doing?" "Same thing you were going to do Potter. Just wanted to cram in some practice.not that we'll need it against that gang of losers you call a team". Malfoy said with a hearty laugh. After an hour, the students and teachers began to fill up the stadium, and before he knew it, Harry was flying over the Field, looking or the slightest hint of gold beneath him Harry was swerving through the air looking for the snitch. Ron had managed two spectacular saves and Gryffindor was leading twenty points to zero, but Harry still wanted to end the game quickly. He flew effortlessly between the clouds, as a bludger flew by his head and Colin's squeaky voice yelled "Sorry Harry!". Malfoy upheld his strategy of following Harry around instead of actually looking for the snitch himself, but it didn't matter. Malfoy's Nimbus two thousand and one was no match to his firebolt. He heard a cheer from the Slytherin, which told him that they had just scored. Harry was getting more anxious now. The sun was beating down on his jet-black hair and Malfoy was tailing behind him. He glanced over at Ron, and saw it...the snitch gleaming just a centimeter from Ron's head. He dashed towards the goalpost, leaning into his broom and occasionally glancing to see if Malfoy was still following him. His broom flew faster and faster, as his eyes furrowed and he became more determined and at last, his hands wrapped around the elusive Golden Snitch and he heard Dean Thomas shout "Gryffindor Wins!" Malfoy leered at him as he touched down to the ground. Hermione was running from the stands and Harry expected her to congratulate him, but instead she ran to Ron and hugged him with such severe force, that he fell to the ground. "Those saves were brilliant!", she exclaimed." "And Harry that was a perfect dive", she said, though slightly less energetic as her previous comment. Celestia came running onto the field, accompanied by Luna (who was wearing her famous live lion Gryffindor hat) and Neville, who looked frightened at the thought that Luna's lion could eat him at any second. Celestia gave Ron a hug and a kiss on the cheek before Luna and her set of towards the castle. Seamus and dean had managed to nick food from the kitchens and were partying loudly with the rest of the Gryffindors except Ron, who was sitting quietly in the dormitory. He was happy of course, this meant he was one step closer to the Quidditch cup, but he had more important matters to worry about. Celestia had kissed him, and granted, it was only on the cheek but it still made him happy...  
  
Hermione burst through the doors wearing a large grin and said, "Where have you been. Harry and I were looking all over for you!" "I've been thinking". Hermione gave an astounded look as though she was very surprised that Ron could think, but she covered it quickly with another smile. "Well think later. Dean made a banner, and Seamus-" "I've been thinking...about you." Ron said suddenly Hermione gave a startled jump, but continued to look at Ron. "Well...I've been wanting to say this for quite some time actually. I know we're friends, but I've been having some...erm, extra friendly feelings." Hermione looked as though she didn't have the slightest clue as to what Ron was talking about. "I think we would be a great-" Hermione seemed to have read Ron's mind because she answered: "Well, if you feel that way, why have you been hanging around with Celestia so much?" "We're just friends, Hermione." Ron said, which wasn't entirely true. Hermione rolled her eyes and headed towards the door but Ron stopped her. "I know I can be...well, sort of a prat sometimes ad a bit stubborn. But I would really be glad if we could...if we could, well, give us a chance." Hermione looked thoughtfully at Ron through her deep brown eyes and took a step closer to him. Ron could feel Hermione's breath on his neck. She leaned in and pressed her lips against his. Ron turned away. Hermione looked surprised at herself and hurried quickly out of the dormitory At breakfast the next morning, Harry couldn't help but notice the eerie silence between Ron and Hermione. Compared to this he would much rather have some healthy bickering. "What's wrong with you two? You're acting rather...odd" "Well if not arguing for a change is odd behavior, I wish they would act oddly more often", Ginny said while helping herself to scrambled eggs. Harry saw her turn a deep shade of crimson before she looked away from him.  
  
"Peace and quiet, I've wondered what that's sounded like for months..." said Mark sarcastically. He was most often seen with Harry and the rest of the 6 years, which earned him an admired position with the other 1st years at Hogwarts. News had traveled fast that Mark and Harry were related, and soon people were stopping Mark in the hallways, checking him for some sort of random scar, but they found none. The January cold had melted into February and there was another Hogsmeade visit was to be held on Valentines Day. Harry thought painfully of last year's fiasco when Cho had burst into another crying fit for the entire teashop to see. He smiled rather smugly and was actually happy that he wouldn't have to accompany a girl to the village this year. "So are you going with Celestia to Hogsmeade again, Ron?" Ron choked on his fruit juice and looked at Harry. He had been thinking of asking Hermione to Hogsmeade, but he couldn't diminish that guilty feeling of interest whenever Celestia passed him in the corridors. At Harry's comment, Hermione shot Ron a severe glare and then proceeded to eat her lunch, as if nothing had happened. "Uh, well...I was thinking of asking someone else maybe...", Ron said "Well I for one am glad that I don't have to sit around in a frilly little tea shop with a girl this month. I wouldn't go on a date, if you paid me 10 galleons!", Harry said happily. Ginny looked at him with a strangely sad expression and scurried out of the Great hall. "What's with her?", Mark said. "Oh honestly Harry! You can't even tell when something staring you in the face!" she snapped and she marched off and caught up with Ginny. "What am I getting myself into?" sighed Ron while shaking his head. "What are you on about Ron?", asked Neville. Ron blushed brilliantly and ignored his question. He hadn't told anyone, not even Harry about the gentle kiss he shared with Hermione the previous night. And as Celestia floated across the room, her beautiful hair shining under the sunlight of the bewitched ceiling, he was relived that Harry did not know, as he would probably chastise him for looking at another girl with such longing. "Come on, mate finish that toast. We have Hagrid for care of Magical Creatures now." Harry said. Ron sat up and ran to the grounds outside of Hogwarts to meet his fellow Gryffindors, and sadly Malfoy and his cronies. "Hey Weasley, I heard you were dating Harth from Ravenclaw.what is she paying you or something?" Pansy Parkinson said as her pug-like face broke out in a wide grin. Draco gave her a quick peck on the cheek before he strode over to Ron and joined in on the torments. "Pansy, I'm sure that even Harth could do better than this scum." He said while Crabbe and Goyle laughed stupidly at his side. "I wouldn't talk that way Malfoy, with that cow Pansy at your side", Hermione said as she appeared behind Ron. Pansy lunged at Hermione, but Hagrid just then opened his cabin door and proceeded to teach his lesson. "Sincing as Valentines Day is comin' up an' all, I though' we'd have a go at this lot o' creatures" he said while pointing at a crate of horrifically adorable pink, furry animals. "They're called Shifkins. Tend ter turn up on'y around this season. They spray a sorta goo that acts as a temporary love potion." "Maybe I ought to chuck this thing at Snape. A good snog would cheer him right up!". Ron said while looking disgusted as he a Shifkin sighed and purred in his hand. At the end of class, Hagrid pulled Harry back urgently into his cabin. "What's up Hagrid?" "Listen ter me Harry. That Ginny Weasley has bin visitin' me o' lot lately and I think it has to do with you-" "Hagrid. Ginny doesn't fancy me anymore.she told me ages ago" he said while laughing. "Harry, trus' me. I know a thing o' two about women" At this Harry almost spit out the cup of tea Hagrid poured him. It was hard to imagine Hagrid dating anyone. It would be like a troll paired with a house-elf. "Just let her down gently will you.she's been through enough, she has." But Harry wasn't thinking of letting her down at all. Truth be told, ever since last year, he had looked at Ginny in a whole new light. She no longer giggled uncontrollably at the sight of him, and he had discovered she was a brave witch at the Department of Mysteries. Harry suddenly thought of the department. That locked door, which held his power to defeat Lord Voldemort. About Sirius.and the Veil. Luna had told him "They're right there, just lurking out of sight" hadn't she? And no matter what people believed about her, no matter how many times they taunted her with the name "Loony Lovegood", Harry couldn't help trusting her. Hagrid must have noticed the strange dreamy look on his face because he quickly ushered Harry out of the cabin and told him to take a quick nap before heading out to his nighttime astronomy lesson. On the way back to the castle, Harry ran into Ginny who was pacing silently around the lake. "Can I have a word with you?" Harry said. Ginny stopped immediately and walked toward him. "What do you want.Ron's in the Common Room if you were-" Ginny said coolly. "No, no.I wanted to talk to you." Harry and Ginny conversed at the edge of the lake and by nightfall, Ginny had agreed to accompany him to the Hogsmeade Village the next day. As Harry walked (with an extra happy spring) to the tallest tower for Astronomy he bumped into Celestia. "Oi Harry, have you seen Ron?" "Well I have a lesson with him now.d'you want me to tell him something?" "No, it's fine...it's just that. Well, he's been avoiding me lately." Harry nodded in agreement. Although Ron smiled happily at the sight of her, he often walked in the opposite direction whenever Celestia attempted to approach him. Harry said goodbye to her and Luna, who was eyeing him indifferently from behind the newest edition of The Quibbler, and ran into Ron who looked, from the grin on his face, as he gained a date as well. "Just had a talk with Celestia. She says you've been avoiding her and I reckon she's right." "Erm.well, um.no I haven't." Ron said while shifting nervously in his robes. "And what's with that grin? Who are you going to Hogsmeade with.Celest-?" "How did you know? No one.yes that's it. No one" Ron interrupted and quickly changed the subject to the success of his favorite Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons. Harry took a seat next to Ron and Hermione and gazed absentmindedly into the telescope. He was thinking about the Veil. The Veil that could reunite him with Sirius.his mother and father. He had only seen them in photographs, in the Mirror of Erised. If only he could find a way to go behind it. He knew where it was. He had heard the voices too. Harry scribbled the planet's alignments on his parchment before heading out for the Common Room with his fellow Gryffindors. "Oooh" shrieked Parvati Patil. "Firenze said that the appearance of Mars would confirm one of his predictions. I wonder which one." "Yeah I saw it too.it was unusually bright tonight" said Seamus. Harry laughed. Seamus had just reminded him of his first encounter with centaurs. "The bright one was Mars? Oh, I thought it was Saturn" Neville said sadly. "So Ron.you never told me. Who're you going to Hogsmeade with?", Harry said, hoping to catch him off guard for a moment. "Celestia Harth from Ravenclaw? She is quite good-looking", said Dean thoughtfully. "Well, no. Not exactly", said Ron, while Hermione glanced around nervously. "He doesn't want to tell us because she's probably a troll", said Seamus while cackling madly at his own joke. Parvati and Lavender glared at him. They clearly didn't think a person's looks should determine a date. "No, she's quite nice actually. Can we just drop this please?", said Ron whose face was steadily nearing the shade of his flaming red hair. "Go on Ron. Why don't you tell them?" Hermione said with a nasty grin. The rest of them agreed and continued to tease and beg him before he finally gave in. "All right then! I'm going with you.I mean to say that I'm going with her. Hermione." There was an extremely awkward pause, then Parvati and Lavender let out a dreamy sigh and Seamus and Dean burst into laughter. "I should have known it. The way you two row constantly." Ron and Hermione smiled at each other and Harry felt uncomfortable. He couldn't help but feeling that this new revelation would change the relationship between the three of them. He pretended to be as excited as the rest of them, before he headed in the opposite direction of the Common Room towards the Library. He thought he could use some peace and quiet to sort out his thoughts, and the Common Room was certainly going to be distracting on a Friday night. He walked through the doors and found a seat all to himself, when he saw a dirty-blonde head enter the room with a hat made of chocolate frog cards. "Hello Harry Potter." "Oh hello Loon-, I mean Luna" Luna Lovegood was the last person he wanted to see right now.or was it? "Luna. Remember, you told me about.about that Veil last year. In the Department of Mysteries?" "I was wondering when you'd ask," said Luna nonchalantly with a dreamy stare. "Oh I wanted to know.well if you knew how to get behind it?". Luna laughed hollowly while still maintaining her dreamy stare. "Behind it? You can't go behind it." "What do you mean? You said it! You said that's where he is!" Harry said angrily. The Veil was his last hope to finding his godfather and now Luna was telling him that he would never see him again with such mild interest it made him furious. "Well of course. They are dead, Harry Potter. They are gone. You can go behind the veil, but once you go, you won't come back. Goodbye, Harry." Luna said and drifted out the door. Harry was shaking with anger. The thought of seeing Sirius soon again is what had kept him alive over summer. And Luna said her last comment with such finality that it made him truly realize for the first time that he really was gone. There has to another way, he thought determinedly before sighing heavily and heading back up to the Common Room. Harry dreamed about the night of Sirius's death. How his own cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, killed him. The red jet of light hit him with such force that his body fell behind the black curtain. A red light? Harry knew that the killing curse was a green shade. Perhaps he was killed because of the veil. He thought of Luna's words and rolled over in his bed. He gave a hollow laugh and couldn't believe that he had actually believed a word that came out of Loony Lovegood's mouth. But as he drifted to sleep, he couldn't help but thinking she was right about the veil.  
  
"He's coming Sirius. I know he is.you gave him the mirror.He has everything he needs to contact us." "Well, I don't want to sound rude, but if he used the mirror in the first place, I might not have been here and-" "Sirius! How dare you say such a thing!", a beautiful woman with glistening red hair and green eyes said. The group of three friends wandered around the room, bumping into people as they tried discussing how they could possibly contact Harry. James ran into a startlingly handsome boy with gray eyes and an absent-minded witch named Ms. Jorkins before catching up with Lily and Sirius. "The mirror is in the drawing room, on the table next to Buckbeak. I knew I should have turned it on that day before I left.", Sirius said while rubbing his forehead. "Don't blame yourself for this. It's no one's fault", James said while giving his best friend a hearty hug. "Mum, it's me! Dad, Sirius. I'm right here! It's me Harry.I'M RIGHT HERE!!"  
  
Harry woke up, his heart pounding in a pool of sweat. Was it all merely a dream? Had he really seen his parents and Sirius.and Cedric, Bertha Jorkins, they were all there. Lurking out of sight, behind the veil. Maybe this was another one of Voldemort's tricks. But even he doesn't know about Number 12 Grimmauld place, and there is no possibility that he could be hiding at the Order's headquarters without notice. He ran to Ron's bed and woke him up.  
  
"Ron! You said Fred and George joined the Order! Do you think they could get something for me?"  
  
The next day at breakfast when everyone else was eating excitedly and talking about Hogsmeade, Harry was anxiously looking at the ceiling, hoping that any moment, Hedwig would fly from the owlery and drop Sirius's mirror in his hand. But the snowy owl never came, and soon most of the school was in Hogsmeade. "Ha, are my eyes deceiving me? Is that the Magnificent Mudblood and the Weasel together?" said Draco Malfoy in a tone of sarcastic amazement. "Eat slugs Malfoy", said Harry with Ginny at his side. "Oh, watch out Draco or Potty and his little red-haired fool might hurt you!", said Pansy. Ron lunged at Malfoy but Hermione pulled him back. Harry Ginny Ron and Hermione made their way to the three broomsticks and took a table together. Dean Thomas was sitting with Seamus, Lavender, and Parvati. And to Ron and Harry's amazement, Celestia was sitting with another Ravenclaw 6th year named Kyle Quinton and Cho Chang who was holding hands with some boy that Harry did not recognize. "I guess Celestia found a new mate." Said Ginny. "I suppose she has" said Ron with no interest whatsoever. Ever since the kiss he shared with Hermione, his feelings for Celestia had completely diminished. He still thought of her as a great friend, and only avoided her because he did not have the heart to reject her. And as Ron looked over at Celestia and saw her smile at Kyle, he swelled with happiness. Now that they both had found other people, they could return to just being friends with no awkward feelings. "I didn't know you two were dating?" Ron said to Ginny and Harry. He looked extremely happy as though this arrangement meant that he and Harry could finally be real brothers. "Well, not exactly dating-." "Just on one date", said Harry, finishing Ginny's thought. Ron looked slightly disappointed but continued to sip his butterbeer. After a trip to Honeydukes to reload on many tasty sweets, and to Zonko's for a couple of Dungbombs and other tools that might come in handy, Harry and his friends trudged back to the castle. When he arrived t his dormitory, Harry found Hedwig rapping angrily against the window. She flew in a dropped a small package on the bed. Harry tore open the paper and looked at Sirius's mirror with longing. He pulled his mirror out of his pocket and looked sadly at it. He had just remembered that it was broken. He had thrown it in anger and now it was cracked. Harry bowed his head in defeat as Neville walked in the room. "What's up Harry?" "Oh nothing." He said while putting the mirror back in his pocket quickly. "It looks broken. Here, let me fix it." If Neville had asked this question two years ago, Harry would have ran for cover, as any spell Neville tried would have surely backfired. But this year he had improved tremendously, and had shown extreme bravery down in the Department of Mysteries a year ago. Neville used a difficult Repairing Spell, which not only repairs a magical object, but also still maintains it's magical property. "Thanks, Neville" said Harry happily. Harry lay confused in bed that night. Although he had the mirror, what was he supposed to do with it? Luna said that he could not go behind it, so how was he supposed to give it to his parents? I'll slide it under! He thought. And Harry slept, clearly no thinking of how he was going to manage to get to the Department of Mysteries again, without getting caught. 


	2. Flee and Fun

"Abysmal! Finnigan, I daresay you have taken over Longbottom's spot as the worst student at Hogwarts. Then again, I doubt anyone could be worse than that fool." Severus Snape said as he glided around the Potions dungeon, attacking the slightest fault in any of the students. Harry's potion was much too thick, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before- "Potter! What is this abomination? Ten points from Gryffindor for!" "Please Professor Snape! He only needs a bit of Holesboar plant to-" "Granger, I do not remember asking for your useless knowledge" "He seems to be even more horrible than usual" Ron was right. Perhaps it was Lupin's return that was making Snape become increasingly evil. Though Harry noticed that his erratic behavior seemed to have begun after he saw Snape talking deeply to Firenze, the Centaur Divination teacher. Harry had long since dropped his Divination classes, but he still had meetings with Firenze frequently. Harry thought it was best to have a teacher who could interpret the stars accurately. With increasingly heavier times approaching, he wanted to make sure that he was one step ahead of Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Lucius Malfoy and the other loyal Voldemort followers, had recently broken out of the Wizarding prison, Azkaban and that fact, had no doubt, contributed to the vindictive grin on Draco Malfoy's face as he smashed his roots and dropped them into his cauldron across the room. 


End file.
